Fireflies
by Illusions-chan
Summary: A four part fluff surrounding the Martian Senshi and her Shittenou counterpart.
1. First Meetings : Cupid likes to Flirt

_(A/N): The manga version AU 'first meeting' installment between Mars and Jadeite arrives. BSSM belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. Jeddy's name is Jin, btw._

* * *

**Cupid Likes to Flirt**

The music blared loudly as an obsidian haired priestess pushed her way through the crowd. She glared as an obviously extremely intoxicated man tried to grab her backside. Shooting daggers with flaming violet eyes, she continued on, pushing people out of her way. She finally made it to the bar where a familiar dark haired male stood, flirting shamelessly with everyone.

"Seiya, will you quit flirting with everything that can smile back at you and give me a Silver Serenade?" The dark haired male raised an eyebrow, questioning her silently as he began making her the elixir that she wanted. She sat down at the bar, folding her hands to rest her pointed chin on. The man smiled at her then, thinking of how much of fire sprite she resembled. A loud crash then a haggard looking blonde crashed into the bar. A second look at him, however, proved that he was not haggard but beautiful, with deep cobalt blue eyes and wavy hair that seemed to defy gravity itself.

"You like you've been chewed up by the wolves Jin," Seiya commented as he set down a dark glass before the fire sprite. She ignored it, still entranced by the blonde who stood so close to her, that she could tell the fabric of which his shirt was made. It was strange to her. No one had ever come into such close proximity to her. She wouldn't have it. And yet, as he stood there, she couldn't help but like it. He sat down, or more so fell into the chair, his head resting on the bar.

"Shut up Seiya. I hate you, you know that. You told them that I'm bi and that I'm single, didn't you?" She couldn't help it. It came out as a fountain, bubbling and rising up over the loud music. He turned and stared at her and was shocked. So small compared to him and yet so full of fire. "Is something funny, pyro?" Rather than firing back at him like the bartender expected, she only laughed more.

"Yes. Something is." She stood up then, smiling as she picked up her drink and walked away, leaving a bill where it sat. Seiya reached over and grabbed it.

"Absolutely gorgeous, and me thinks she likes you." Jin stared at him for a moment before turning around and going after the girl. He found her sitting in the darkest and quietest corner of the club. He sat down next to her then, and threw his head back. She watched with amused violet eyes. She finally set down her glass.

"Come on, let's blow this joint." He looked at her with such admiration that she could have just leaned over and kissed him, but instead she smiled. He stood up then and held out his head. He smiled at how her hand fit perfectly into his. They finally pushed and shoved through the intoxicated bodies and found themselves wrapped in the cold of night.

"So what are you doing here?"

* * *

Jin sat staring out at the street. His eyes kept finding random obsidian haired girls, but he knew. He just knew it wasn't her. 

"Jin, my buddy!" The bartender sat down, smiling at the blonde. He then noticed the male's silence, and smiled a secretive smile, knowing why. They had hit it off, the two mostly unlikely people, only because the priestess had been freakishly drunk. And yet, she looked sober. That girl was an enigma for sure. "She lives in the temple on Cherry Hill." The blonde looked up to only see air, but he smiled, thanking his friend.

* * *

The priestess at this moment, however, was lost in tirade of clothes as a girl even smaller than her rampaged through her closet. The priestess sighed then and stood up. 

"Usa, you could go in a burlap sac and Mamoru-san would still think you're the most beautiful thing to walk the face of the Earth. Why are you bothering?" Usagi huffed then, turning around to fix her cerulean glare on Rei. But it soon faded into a pout so convincing that the priestess sighed and broke. She then walked past the bunny and into the closet. "Black or red?" she asked, causing the bunny to break out into a smile that lit up the world.

* * *

Another night and she was there, stuck, trying to find a way through the masses of bodies. She pushed and shoved, finally finding an opening to salvation. She again glared at the bartender, scolded him again, and then ordered. This time, a simple margarita. She waited, but no one arrived this time. Sighing, she left a bill and got up, walking to her favorite corner. Wasn't she foolish, not asking the name of the only man to catch her fancy?

* * *

He sat there, once again staring out the window at his favorite café. He wanted a small piece of information, but he wouldn't ask. He's too proud. Again, the bartender greeted him with a smile, sitting down next to him. They exchanged words in the form of cruel insults, but both looked unfazed. Finally, the bartender smiled his secret smile. 

"She lives with her grandfather."

* * *

"Minako!" A brunette huffed as she shooed a cackling blonde out of her kitchen. She then turned to face the priestess who stood in the corner, diligently yet mechanically cutting up vegetables. "What's wrong hun?" she asked, kindly. The priestess looked up at her and smiled wistfully. 

"I don't hate men anymore," she whispered.

* * *

She sat down on the steps. A soft caw and then the flutter of wings as a black guardian landed on her shoulder. She smiled, taking the guardian onto her hand. She stared into deep cocoa eyes and smiled. 

"I hate Otousan, remember?" The bird cocked his head, waiting. "I said that I'd never marry, but I met this one guy." She chuckled then, standing up.

"There is no such thing as love at first sight, right?"

* * *

A silver haired male sighed as he and two others sank into luscious leather. He looked towards the owner, only to find him standing, staring out the window. The blonde was silent as the wind, lost in a trance. He stared at the male carefully and then smiled a secret smile like that of the bartender. A smile whose reason only the winds know. The brunette next to him then made a move to capture the blonde's attention, but he held up a hand, smiling. 

"I think he needs to be alone."

* * *

It was raining as the blonde ran to the café. Today, he was late and the bartender was most probably waiting. So he rushed, pushing against the wind. He finally reached the shop, opening the door and bringing with him gallons of water. He looked to his favorite seat, but the bartender was not there. Hanging his head, he walked towards it, sitting down and resting his head on his folded arms. A soft touch, a tap on his shoulder caused him to look up again with sad blue eyes. A girl smiled down at him and handed him a slip of paper. He scanned over it and smiled, ordering a coffee. 

"She hates rain," it read.

* * *

She stared, no, glared at the pouring rain. The cook smiled, handing her a bowl of frozen cream, vanilla in flavor. She looked up questioningly, but only saw understanding. She smiled then and took a tiny bite, no longer glaring at the pouring rain.

* * *

He had been sitting for nearly five hours now, waiting while staring aimlessly at the long sunrise and start of another day. Today, the bell rang as the bartender walked in. He was early. He walked straight to the blonde and sat down, not even greeting him. The blonde turned and faced him, staring at him staring at him. Each studied the other, trying to find cracks in their facades, but nothing. The bartender leaned back then, and smiled his jovial smile. 

"She loves Casablanca lilies."

* * *

It was loud and oppressive, the music causing her ears to ring. She, however, wouldn't surrender and continued, pushing and shoving, making her way through. She reached the bar and sat down. The bartender stared down at her as she sighed and then looked up at him. 

"What would you like darling?" he asked, smiling softly at her. She smiled back then, wistfully, but as she opened her mouth, a white flower fell in front of her. Gingerly, she reached over picking it up. It wasn't just any flower, she realized then. It was a Casablanca lily, soft and sweetly scented. She turned then and stared in anxious cobalt eyes. She smiled then.

"Come on, let's blow this joint." The bartender watched as they left hand in hand and smiled his secret smile.

"Didn't know you were matchmaking," a silky voice whispered. "You could give Venus a run for her money." Seiya turned to face a smirking Yaten.

"Shouldn't you be with Hotaru-chan?" he replied.

"I should be, but I'm here to collect Setsuna-san's favorite distraction so we can get rid of her." The bartender cocked an eyebrow then.

"Distraction? Is that what I am now?"

* * *

It was late or early maybe. Who knew? Their feet had led them into the park and now they were sitting with their feet in cool waters of the pond. She then turned to watch him as he lay on the ground, his eyes closed. He opened one and smiled up at her. 

"I never got your name, you know," she murmured softly. He cocked his head slightly, yawning. She smiled at that and leaned over him, reaching out a creamy hand. "Hino Rei." He took it and pulled it to his face, barely brushing his lips over her knuckles.

"Takeno Jin." She nodded.

"A pleasure." He chuckled then.

"The pleasure's all mine darling, all mine."

**OWARI

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**

_**(A/N):** Ahaha… This came out a bit strange, but I kind of like it. Somehow I found myself adding Seiya and Yaten as extras rather than the others. Kunzite and Nephrite also make cameo appearances. I think it came out pretty nice like this._

_And yes, there are hints of Yaten x Hotaru and Seiya x Setsuna._

_Review!_


	2. Welcome Home : White Purity

Disclaimer: BSSM belongs to Naoko Takeuchi-sama.

Note: This is the Dub-based Welcome Home.

* * *

**White Purity**

It was snowing.

Everywhere, in every direction, as far as the eye could, was a white wonderland. A blanket of perfection. Pure and untouched, godly.

Raye bent down slowly, carefully balancing her pregnant body, so unlike her regular Sailor Mars physique, and picked up the frozen flower with delicate hands.

It must've been covered by something because the flower's soft petals were forever captured by the ice. Bringing it to her face, she breathed in its scent and smiled. Her smile was like the snow around her, pure and godly, and any who saw it felt blessed and touched.

Turning back to the path, she carefully continued on, stepping softly as to not make a sound in the serene mid morning quiet. Reaching a crosswalk, she stopped and smiled at the elderly woman next to her. The woman looked up from her groceries and gave the Scout a warm knowing look. Turning back to the road, she clutched her bag as she made her way across.

She finally came up to the steps of her home, the reddened stairs looking striking against the pallor of the snow. Carefully she made her way up. Halfway, her guardians came fluttering down, greeting her with warm cries. As she reached three quarters up, she heard the shouts of priests and priestesses in training, complaining at the cold and squealing as they were pelted with snowballs from the head priest, Chad Holdenford. As she finally made up the stairs, her eyes fell on her grandfather. Ren Hino sat on the patio ledge of the temple, feeding the pigeons. Her eyes filled with tears to see the man looking so well. Just a year ago, he'd been in the hospital, struggling to breathe and there he was now, sitting before her, without a care in the world.

Brushing her tears away, she approached him and couldn't help her watery smile as he looked up at her and then greeted her, pressing a scraggly kiss against her forehead. He shooed her inside then and she only smiled more. Slipping off her shoes, she slid the rice paper door open and walked into the warm temple.

Slowly moving past the small meditation chambers, she reached the Great Fire, where she paused and bowed in gratitude, for giving her all her dreams; her home, her grandfather, her amazing friends, and her life.

Moving into the living quarters, she reached the kitchen and leaned against the open doorway to stare at the pinnacle of her dreams. A blond man crouching before a blond toddler, wiping his tears and coaxing him to eat the elaborate omelet he had painstakingly made for him. The boy sniffed and then opened his mouth for a bite. Smiling, the man fed him a small piece. The little boy began to chew and then looked straight up at Raye.

His mulberry eyes immediately lit up and he cried out, "Mama home!" Raye smiled and entered the kitchen, pressing a kiss to his forehead before facing the blond man. He had stood up, his tall, broad frame towering over her, and she immediately moved into the circle of his arms. He smiled and enveloped her in his warmth, and she sighed, breathing in his unique scent of incense and freshly-cut grass. The shrine priestess' husband and the All-American football player turned psychologist. _Her husband._

Finally, he moved and looked down her, curiously.

"What did Amy say?"

She bit her lip, trying to hide her smile and reached into her bag, carefully pulling out the frozen flower, _the frozen Casablanca_.

"How do you feel about a baby girl, Jason?"

His smile told her everything she ever needed to know.

Perfection. Purity. _Baby Casablanca_.

**OWARI

* * *

**

(A/N): Well, here it is. The Fireflies' welcome home. I've always wanted to write a soft Raye, but it's so hard to make her soft without being _**too**_ cheesy. _(I gotta face it, this is fluff. It's bound to be a little cheesy! ) _I tried it quite a few times and finally we got here. Now, I'm a little bothered by the fact that Jason (Jeddy) never says "Welcome home" to Raye like the how the other couples of Lightning, Snowflakes, and Sunlight do, but I figured their adorable toddler could do it for me, just in baby speak. I also really wanted to write her in snow, because I felt like it was the one season that no one attaches Raye too, but I'm not sure if I got it right.

So let me know what you think!


	3. Dark Kingdom: Flames to Dust

Disclaimer: BSSM belongs to Naoko Takeuchi-sama.

* * *

**Flames to Dust**

Aria sat in front of the hearth, staring into nothingness.

She had tried again to see the outcome of the counsel's decision to reject the treaty, but the flames once again died out, leaving her in the dark. Was it really that hopeless, she wondered, that even those above couldn't help them?

She closed her eyes and felt into the hearth with her magic. She could feel the embers, still there and tried to ignite them. They flared for a moment and she saw an endless army, Serenity and Endymion, death, pain, and then only silence.

Gasping, she opened her eyes as tears filled them. Raising herself to her feet, Aria threw water into the embers, dousing them. It would not end like that, she vowed. She would not let it. She spun around and ripped open the door of the shrine, running out.

She ran right into his arms.

"Zōchōten!"

Her other half, her bonded, pulled her close, breathing in her scent as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Zōchōten, I saw into the fire and it showed me…"

He cut her off, pressing a finger to her lips.

"I know," he whispered, brokenly. "I saw it too, firebird."

She clung tightly to him as the shudders wracked both their bodies. Aria gathered him as close as she could, trying to memorize him as he was. His touch, firm and yet fluttery gentle; his scent, smoke and fresh morning dew; everything. He pressed kisses into her scalp, his hands brushing through her hair.

She pulled back finally to stare into his eyes.

"What will we do?" she whispered, afraid that if she spoke any louder, they'd lose the chance.

He smiled wryly. "We'll do what guardians do. We'll fight until there is nothing left to fight or the enemy strikes us down, ending us."

"And then?" she asked as he traced his fingers over her face, memorizing her features.

"Like the fire, we will go out. We will become ashes, scattered in the winds of time," he whispered. But then his eyes gleamed and his face straightened. "But we will be reborn from those ashes, Aria. Like the phoenix of our faith, we will arise once again. No matter what, I will return to you. Even after the world ends and all good things come to an end."

She nodded and smiled, taking courage in his words. Pulling him close, she kissed him, swearing her soul to his for all eternity.

"I am yours and you are mine," she whispered. "Till the end of time and beyond."

* * *

Aria stood at the entrance of the palace, an arrow already notched at her bow. She stood waiting for the command with the other archers. They could see the Terran army approaching, hear the drums beating, feel the scent of death and despair in the air.

Aria shook out her hair and straightened herself. She was the scion of the god of war himself. If anyone was to stand before the end of all that they were, it would her.

She saw a glint of gold from the side, Venus's signal, and raised her voice. "Archers, stand ready! Notch your arrows and let us show the might of the Alliance. Whether we live to see another day or die here on the field, let our might be written into the pages of history! For Serenity!"

"For Serenity!" The cry was bellowed back.

"Fire!" she cried and let loose, watching as a rain of arrows fell on the approaching foot soldiers. Notching another, she powered it with her flame and let it fly. Others followed her command, dipping their arrow heads into the hearths around them to ignite them. Already she could hear the screams as the foot soldiers got closer.

Realizing they were too close now, she unstrung her bow, and repositioned it to use its blades.

"Swords!" she cried as the foot soldiers began to overtake them. She raised her own blade and plunged into the fray.

* * *

Aria didn't know how much time had passed since she had switched from arrows to blade. Her bow had been custom made, it was straight unlike others' and it had blades curving out from the front; so it worked almost as a spear or double-ended sword.

She spun around and ducked a foot soldier's thrust as she swept the blade across his back, slicing through his armor. She slashed again, through his neck, and then kicked him away, ready to move onto the next.

Blood drenched her uniform, the white of her bodysuit now the same shade as her skirt. She had earned some cuts on her legs and arms, but she was unstoppable; spinning, swirling, like a hot gust of air around a burning flame. Her anger powered her, not hot and uncontrollable, but churning and spewing like a wave of lava destroying everything in its path.

Killing off another youma, she spun around to meet her next opponent only to have her blade parried away.

"A blade, firebird?"

Shock filtered through her rage as she recognized the honeyed voice and scent of smoke and fresh dew. He stood before her, tauntingly blocking her blade just inches from his face.

His eyes were completely cold, dead to the world, and she understood, anger taking over the shock once more. He had fallen.

Aria pulled her blade back and straightened up. He could not pass and it was her duty to make sure so.

He smiled, a mere twitch of his lips, and stood as well.

"So you will fight," he mused as he re-sheathed his sword and bent his knees into his favored stance.

"I am a daughter of Aries. I will always stand and fight," she announced with finality.

"And I am her Lady's general, Jadeite, sworn soldier," he announced back.

They stood for a moment, and then, the fight was on.

Aria knew she was out-matched from the start. She was an archer first and foremost. Venus has forced her into learning the blade, but it was not her weapon of choice. Her bonded, on the other hand, had been given his first blade only a year after he had started walking. It was as much a part of his body as were his hands and legs.

The two flew at each other. She focused on his legs and lower body with the lower edge of blade and then would randomly attach his head and shoulder with the upper edge. Aria knew she couldn't beat him in technique, but she hoped to tire him out. But he was as graceful as ever, spinning and ducking away, his body arching gracefully.

Once he cut her, then again, and soon, she could feel cuts all over her legs and arms from his blade. Jadeite raised his blade and she raised hers to parry, but Aria lost her balance and stumbled back, landing on the ground. He lifted his blade, stained red with her blood, for a fatal thrust. Before he could finish it, though, she kicked up her legs, slamming her foot into his gut.

He fell beside her, groaning at the unexpected attack. She managed to kick his blade from his hand, but he had already removed her own. Now with his hands, Jadeite pulled her down, trying to suffocate her, bury her into the dead bodies underneath them. Aria fought back, slamming the heel of her palm into his nose. Using his moment of pain, she flipped them over, so that she was on top. She tried to grab his blade, but he wouldn't have it.

They struggled and fought, pulling, twisting, each trying to gain the upper hand. She finally grabbed his blade and raised it to his neck, the edge against his pulsing vein, ready to sever it.

She froze. In that moment, her eyes caught his, and she was caught by the desperate flames in his gaze as he lay underneath her.

"Zōchōten?"

"Do it," he whispered. "End it, firebird."

The blade trembled in her hand as she stared at the pain and death rolling around in his gaze.

"Why? Zōchōten…"

"Because you must!" he hissed. "Please, before I can no longer hold against her evil."

Aria shook, horrified by his demand.

"How can I end you?"

He grasped at her waist, squeezing it. "You know as well as I do, that we cannot win against this evil. She has won. Endymion is dead. I felt it," he whispered. "Please Aria. End this evil. Kill me before I lose my soul to her. Kill me so that I may die without committing any crimes that will sully my soul for eternity. Kill me so that I may reach Elysion whole."

Aria shook, squeezing her eyes to ward away tears. Straightening up, she raised the blade over her head. She opened her mouth to ask one last request, when she felt herself thrown off of him. She pushed herself to her feet to see that he had raised himself to his own feet, and that her blade was in his hands. Steeling herself, Aria looked into his eyes and saw that once again they were dead.

"Yes," he whispered. "Kill me if you can, firebird."

Rage erupted in Aria's veins at the thought of this puppet sullying her bonded's soul. She straightened up completely, gripping the blade tightly.

"Watch me," she hissed.

They flew at each other desperately, blades outstretched, one last stand. They collided and then passed by each other.

Aria landed on the ground, her hands reaching up to stop the flow of blood from her neck. Behind her, Jadeite had fallen to his knees, his own blade deep within his chest. Aria raised her gaze to the stars as the life-blood left her. To her surprise, Jadeite crawled over to her, gasping as the blade moved within him.

She locked up into his eyes and saw that they were alive again.

He smiled at her and she felt the tears finally fall from her eyes. She grabbed at his hand, clutching it tightly. He squeezed back. Looking back at the stars for a moment, she made her decision. Aria pulled him close and gasped into his ear.

"Shall we burn like the phoenix?"

He looked surprised for a moment and then smiled. Carefully, he knelt beside her and took her hands into his own. Aria pulled her magic to the front as did he. Flames began to arise around them, sweltering hot and smelling of charred bodies.

Aria kept her gaze locked on his eyes, and in his eyes, she could see love that mirrored her own.

The flames closed in around them.

He smiled.

The flames rose even higher.

"I am yours," he began. "You are mine, to the end of time and beyond. Let us burn together in this flame and turn to dust."

The flames began to lick at their limbs.

"I will find you, in every life. I swear. Even after the world ends and all good things come to an end."

The flames covered them entirely, but neither took their eyes off the others until they were no more.

**OWARI

* * *

**

(A/N): I don't even know where to start after writing that.

I think tragedy might be my thing. Once again, this just poured itself out. Aria, of course, is Rei-chan. As for Jadeite, I again used the Buddhist names for the Shitennou.

The battle was very much inspired from The Lord of Rings. As for the actual theme, it's _**Nelly Furtado's "All Good Things"**_. I hope I made Rei not too sappy, but still heart-broken and lost, like Nelly in the song. I really wanted it to seem like they accepted their deaths at the end, but the fight scenes needed to fierce. Now I'm a little worried that they're almost too descriptive for a T rating, but I'm not willing to change the story rating just yet. Let me know and I will, though.

As always, review and recommend!


End file.
